Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-11-30
What Stunted the Growth Of the Town.

You wanter know what's holdin'
this country back, d'ye?" said q man in
Green River City, Wyo., who had a
beard likes %woven-wire mattress which
had been struck by q cyclone and
rolled together as q scroll-"you ask
what's holdin' it down." he continued,
as he led me over by a faro table which
was not in use "you desire information
Is to what's retardin' its development
an causin' it to languish by the way
side, as it were? / can tell you,
stranger; l q sum it up in two words
an give it to you at enc dose. It is
Eastern detectives bloodhounds Of the
law that drag away u most success
full citizens!
What q you expect OF q country
where the Eastern detective comes in
and demands acquisitions for all the
leadin' citizens? With the icy hand OF
the detective laid on the Mayors of our
principal cities. how can our country
develop? With the Pennsylvania
Sheriff sneakin' up behind the Presi-
dent Of our National Bank and identi.
fyin' him, how can You look for pro.
gress?
"As long as one of Pinkerton's men
can come into our otherwise peaceful
and an prosperous communities, look
at q photograph, an then adjust q pair
OF time-lock handouts on the princi-
pal of our schools, how can you come
among us an ask us with a holler sheer
why W. don't boom?
Stranger, what is there to induce us
to git up an whoop an develop the
country, with leg-irons on the pastor OF
the First Baptist Church?
"Why should we invest our money in
business with a Sheriff from Massachu-
sets an a detective from Ohio each
with separate warrants an each on a
fast boss chasin' our Probate ledge
acrost the divide?
"Why should l feel encouraged an
cheerful with the City Attorney bein'
tried in North Carolina? Would you
yourself feel like settlin' down in q
country an maxim home with the
Superintendent of the Union Sunday
school gittin' onto the east bound train
chained to the editor of the morning
paper?"
"My friend, don't think you would
l am positive you would not, specially
if you didn't know but what it might be
your turn next, as you prob'bly would.
"This country could level become
thickly and permanently settled as long
as the Eastern officer who has raked up
some old charge agin a prominent mem
Der OF the community can walk in an
ply his vocation unrestrained by the
strong arm Of the law. As long as it is
possible, while a meetin' of the leadin'
capitalists is 5ein' held to devise means
of establishin' q wooden factory, or to
raise q bonus for a new railroad, as
long as it is possible on such an occa-
sion, l repeat, for a paid spy from q
rival town to sneak in the back door of
the hall an yell: Eastern detective
comm! an then stand and watch the
President Of the savin's bank an the
Circuit ledge break their legs as they
fall out of the winder an subsequently
git tramped into the ground by the
crowd; as long IS this is possible, l
again say, jes' SO long will progress
languish.
"While a man can stand in our thea
ter an heller 'Firep an not cause any
body to look around, an another man
a stampede the audience acrost the
stage by pullin' out q paper an a pair
of handouts, jes' SO long will our nat
raj resources remain dormant, as it
were.
THAT. my friend, is about all I've
got to say. That is about all there is
to say."-Ddkota Bell.